A drug dealer found with heroin and cocaine at a house in Macclesfield while on the run has been jailed for seven years.

Michael Shawcross, 33, was wanted by police because he failed to answer bail after being caught transporting drugs from Liverpool to Devon, Chester Crown court heard.

He evaded capture for four months but his time on the run came to an end when police found him at a house in Macclesfield ‘surrounded by cannabis smoke’ and with 21 wraps of heroin and cocaine.

The court heard Shawcross, of Kent Avenue, Liverpool, was originally arrested in April last year as part of a large police operation from Merseyside to Devon after being paid £200 to help transport drugs in a van from Liverpool to Plymouth.

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Prosecuting, Rob Jones, said he was carrying crack cocaine worth more than £6,000 and had a small amount of cannabis concealed on his body.

Mr Jones said: “He was bailed to July 13 but failed to attend. On November 27 police on duty in Macclesfield town centre stopped a car on suspicion that the female driver was over the limit.

“They went to her home address in Macclesfield and administered a search and found Shawcross in a bedroom surrounded by cannabis smoke. They searched the bedroom and found 21 wraps of heroin and crack.

“The defendant was involved in street dealing class A drugs.”

Shawcross admitted possession of crack cocaine with intent to supply and cannabis possession on April 24, 2016, and possession of cocaine and heroin with intent to supply on November 22, 2016. He admitted failing to answer bail on July 13.

John Farnan, defending, asked the judge to give him credit for his early guilty plea.

He said: “He realised what he had done and took the sensible decision. He was street dealing to fund his own drug habit.”

The court heard his offending includes two drug trafficking offences. Shawcross was sentenced to seven years in prison for possession with intent to supply. He was given no separate penalty for cannabis possession and failing to answer bail.

Judge Nicholas Woodward said: “You didn’t answer bail and went on to commit further offences of street dealing heroin and cocaine. You have two relevant previous convictions so it’s a minimum of seven years.”